In deep water: sun bathers bask in front of the wreckage of the capsized cruise liner Costa Concordia near the harbour of Giglio Porto. Photograph: Max Rossi/Reuters

We had just sat down and ordered at the restaurant in the stern when we heard a huge bang and we knew immediately that we had hit something. Then came the earthquake, which was the ship being opened like a tin of tuna as it scraped along the rocks of the island of Giglio. People were screaming and crying and fleeing the restaurant, but we stayed to wait for the panic to subside – where do you run to on a ship? My iPhone told me we were near Giglio, and I joked: "At least we can get off."

By 10.30pm, about 45 minutes later, we'd had enough because the boat was leaning and no one had said anything to us. I called the police, who asked if I had a lifebelt. "Why?" I asked. "Because you are going to be evacuated!" On board there was total panic and as the boat tilted you slid down the damp deck. We couldn't find our cabin because we had only been on board three hours. We got into a life boat built for 150 that had far more people packed into the darkness. Everyone was on top of each other. Since we were on the side of the ship that was tilted upwards, the life boat got stuck on the hull. We would drop a few metres at a time as the crew tried to free it with axes. I thought we would turn over and plunge into the sea and I remember wanting to call my son for the last time.

We all applauded when we hit the sea, and once on the island the locals were fantastic, giving us clothes and blankets because we were in evening dress. I had posted our plight on Facebook and people were trying to ring me to find out what had happened.

For a long time I couldn't sleep after that night. I had nightmares hearing the screams of the people in the lifeboat and if I sat in a chair during the day it would shake, as if I were at sea. I am much better now, thanks to psychiatric help. I was suing the cruise company, but decided I just wanted to close that chapter so I took their €11,000 compensation. We discovered that because of the way the ship is grounded on the rocks, our cabin was above the water level, but our request to have our possessions back has been turned down. They told us we will have to wait until the ship is refloated and towed to a yard. I am not sure what state my computer will be in by then.

I am still waiting for Francesco Schettino, the captain of the ship, to apologise to survivors and for the 32 who died. He is a ridiculous show off who still hasn't realised what he has done. It was a miracle the ship drifted on to two outcrops of rock, where it is still sitting like a model ship. If not for that, we would have been sucked down into the sea that night.